At the time, Ashton was just starting his sophomore year at Manteca High School. His journey from secrecy to openness was only beginning, but it was about to accelerate at a blinding rate.

During the early stages of 10th grade, Ashton says he wanted to take a fitness class largely populated by boys. But Ashton says his academic counselor refused to make the change, instead keeping him in an aerobics class in which all the other students were girls.

At the time, Ashton chose not to press the issue. He never took the matter to Manteca High's principal, Frank Gonzales. It was easier that way. But in recent weeks, Ashton has become a star proponent of AB1266. If passed, the bill would require California public schools to respect transgender students' self-identity in all programs, activities and facilities.

Ashton and his 46-year-old mother, Cathy Lee, testified before the California Senate Education Committee in support of the bill on June 12. The bill passed the committee, 5-2, and may come to a vote in the full Senate as soon as today.

"If this passes, I'm going to be a regular boy at my school," Ashton said. "That's the moral of this. It's really awesome."

"I'm tremendously proud of my son," Cathy Lee said. "What he's doing is very brave. I've got his back on this journey."

If enacted, the new law would mirror policy that has been in place in Los Angeles Unified since 2005. According to a 2011 study by the University of California, Los Angeles, about one in every 300 adults is transgender. Ashton said he is one of five openly transgender students at Manteca High, which has an enrollment of more than 1,500.

Gonzales and Manteca Unified Superintendent Jason Messer say they knew nothing of Ashton's situation until being apprised of it Tuesday. Both said they would have been supportive of Ashton if he had made them aware of his desire to switch PE classes last year.

Messer said Manteca Unified in the past has made bathroom accommodations for transgender students at the elementary school level. He also said he was surprised by Ashton's suggestion that he was "forced" into an all-girl class.

"I have not heard of any student being forced into a class of all girls or all boys," Messer said. "Our PE course is a coed course.

"We want to ensure that students never feel they have been forced into something and that they understand their options. ... If the family feels they were forced into something, we'll get them in touch with site administration and get this cleared up and cleaned up."

Ashton said he did not aggressively pursue the matter last year because he "wanted to be completely sure first."

"I didn't want to make a big stand, then come back in a year and say, 'Never mind,' " he said. "I wanted to be sure. Now I'm sure."

Ashton said his earliest memories are of feeling he was different. He said he recalls his preschool teacher asking the children to line up - boys in one line, girls in the other. Rather than line up with the girls, Ashton says that at first he literally went into the closet - a coat closet. Eventually, he said, he lined up with the girls.

Kimberly told Cathy she was a lesbian. Sometime later, though, Kimberly read a young adult novel, "Keeping You a Secret." The realization struck. Kimberly wasn't a gay female. He was Ashton, a transgender male.

"That's totally me," Ashton recalls thinking as he read the book. "It makes so much sense."

Ashton acknowledges dealing with bullying from a small percentage of classmates as a sophomore at Manteca High, mostly early in the school year. But, he said, "I can handle myself," and he also can speak about any problems he has with his mother, who works as a marriage and family therapist. Ashton's father, 52-year-old Don Lee, is equally supportive.

"With every parent, the initial realization can be hard," Don said. "But love changes all of that. If you love your child no matter what, you try to find ways to support your child. We made the decision from the beginning."

One year after being stuck in an aerobics class he didn't want to take, Ashton said he has big plans as a junior.

He said wants to change his school registration this year to reflect his gender identity. He also said he may try out for Manteca High's football team. A California Interscholastic Federation policy that takes effect this fall already is in place to ensure the rights of transgender athletes. Passage of AB1266 would be another step forward for students like Ashton.

"High school is hard enough," Ashton said. "It's hard enough being at an awkward age trying to figure out who you are. I'm just a normal boy. ... I want to do all the things other boys want to do."